Defending Emirates Melbourne Cup champion Green Moon is among 72 horses to be paid-up for as part of second acceptances for the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup. Owner Lloyd Williams parted with the $770 required to keep the seven-year-old in the running for a start in the 2400-metre event at Caulfield on 19 October.

Only five Melbourne Cup winners have subsequently won the Caulfield Cup, but Viewed (2009) and Dunaden (last year) have completed the double in recent years.

Green Moon has been allocated 58kg for this year’s Caulfield Cup – the same weight carried to victory by Dunaden – but should he not start weights will be raised so that the horse carrying the No 1 saddlecloth carries 58kg.

The horse immediately below Green Moon in the weights is Sea Moon – who has 57kg but is yet to pass the ballot – another of the Williams arsenal prepared by Robert Hickmott.

Sydney Cup winner Mourayan, Saturday’s Hill Stakes placegetter Masked Marvel, Turnbull Stakes runner-up Seville, Zipping Classic winner Tanby, the promising Fawkner and emerging import Thought Worthy were Williams’ other second acceptances.

Not all that Williams and Hickmott initially entered for the BMW Caulfield Cup progressed to the next round with Northern Hemisphere-bred gallopers Hartani and Massiyn both withdrawn, along with Practiced.

That Macedon Lodge trio join last year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente, who is being for the Sportingbet Cox Plate, injured Doomben Cup winner Beaten Up, his Chris Waller-trained stablemate Bayrir and three-year-old Prince Harada among those withdrawn from the Caulfield Cup race.

Northern Hemisphere-trained gallopers Red Cadeaux, Royal Diamond and Now We Can were also withdrawn, but an international flavour remains with the Marco Botti-trained Dandino, William Mullins’ Simenon, the Nicky Henderson-prepared Forgotten Voice and Markus Nigge’s Trevieres paid-up for.

The latter two remain well down the order of entry for a start in the race restricted to 18 runners plus four emergencies with just six of the top 40 in the order of entry not part of the second acceptances.

Among those paid-up for were Waller-trained favourites Hawkspur and Royal Descent, Mark Kavanagh-trained Australian Cup hero Super Cool, last Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes winner Mr O’Ceirin and the Peter Moody-trained Manighar (56.5kg), who will carry topweight should neither Green Moon or Sea Moon take their place.

The BMW Caulfield Cup picture will become clearer on Tuesday 8 October, which is the deadline for third acceptances.